Easy-opening scored can body with pull tab



"July 2, 1968 N. s. KHOURY 3,390,305

EASY-OPENING SCORED CAN BODY-WITH PULL TAB Filed March 17, 1967 INVENTOR NiCK S.'KHOURY ORNEYS United States Patent Ofice 3,390,805 Patented July 2, 1968 York Filed Mar. 17, 1967, Ser, No. 623,883 Claims. (Cl. 220--54) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This disclosure has to do with an easy-opening can wherein the'body is provided adjacent one end. closure thereof with a peripheral score line which has an intermediate portion extending axially thereof in the form of a tear strip and which tear strip has attached thereto a pull tab. Rupture of the can body is initiated by means of the pull tab at the starting end of the tear strip, and then the tear strip is torn out of the body along the weakening line towards-the one end closure, after which one end portion of the body and the one end closure are torn from the can body.

This invention relates in general to new and useful improvements in easy-opening containers, and more particularly to a novel easy opening container of the type to replace the present rip-strip type can.

In accordance with this invention, it is proposed to provide a can body adjacent one end thereof with a peripheral weakening line which has a central portion defining a tear strip. The can is opened by initiating the rupture of the body at a starting end of the tear strip, then tearing the tear strip out of the can body and thereafter elfecting the tearing of the can body along the remainder of the peripheral weakening line parallel to the end closure with an end portion of the can body and the end closure being removed as a unit.

Another object of this invention is to provide an easy opening can wherein the normal weakening line is formed in the can body at a position closely adjacent the usual double seam connecting an end closure to the can body whereby a full opening of the can may be assured by the tearing off of the end portion of the can body.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel easy opening can wherein the usual weakening line is formed in the can body as opposed to being formed in the end closure and wherein the weakening line is disposed closely adjacent the customary double seam between the end closure and the can body with the double seam stiffening the can body and serving to protect the can body against accidental rupture thereof along the weakening line.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel easy-opening can of the foregoing type wherein the can body is additionally reinforced on the side thereof r mote from the end closure by means of one or more peripheral beads which are disposed immediately adjacent the weakening line, the peripheral beads cooperating with the usual seam to both protect the weakening line and to assure the tearing of the can body substantially along the weakening line whereby undesired run out of the tearing of the can body during an opening procedure is eliminated.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to-the following detailed description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a top perspective view of a can formed in accordance with this invention and shows the general details thereof.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary top perspective view of the can of FIGURE 1 and shows the same in a substantially open state. i

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary end elevational view of the can body of FIGURE 1 and shows further the details of the easy opening feature thereof.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIGURE 1 and shows more specifically the details of the can body in the vicinity of the weakening line formed therein.

FIGURE 5 isa fragmentary plan view on a reduced scale of a blank from which the can body of FIGURE 1 is formed.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that there is illustrated in FIGURE 1 a can which is formed in accordance with this invention, the can being generally referred to by the numeral 10. The can 10 includes a can body 11 which has the opposite ends thereof closed by means of end closures 12 and 13 which are secured to the body 11 by means of conventional seams which are illustrated as being of the double seam type, the seams being identified by the numeral 14.

Cans of the type illustrated in FIGURE 1 are customarily provided with a peripheral rip strip to facilitate the full opening thereof. However, the customary rip strip presents several problems. These include the fact that additional metal is required in forming the blank for the can body inasmuch as the rip strip must have a projecting end on which a key is to be mounted to effect the tearing away of the rip strip. Secondly, it is necessary to provide a separate key which must be secured to the container in a separate operation, such as by soldering. Unfortunately, in many instances the key is knocked loose from the container and is not available when desired to open the can. A further deficiency of the rip strip type can is that there is a tendency for the rip strip to tear in a convergin path so that the rip strip terminates intermediate the ends thereof and extreme difficulties are experienced in opening the can.

The above-identified and other deficiencies of the rip strip type can are eliminated in accordance with this invention by providing the can body with a different type of opening feature. The can body 11 is provided with a peripheral weakening line 15 which has a major portion thereof disposed parallel to the double seam 14. On that portion of the can body 11 remote from the side seam 17 (FIGURE 2) thereof, the weakening line 15 changes from a straight line pattern to a generally converging pattern and therefore, includes a generally U-shaped intermediate portion 16. The intermediate portion 16 defines a tear strip 19 which has a starting end remote from the double seam 14.

The tear strip 19 is provided adjacent the starting end thereof with an integral rivet 18 which is utilized to secure a pull tab 20 to the tear strip 19. The pull tab 20 may be of any desired design which will effect the initial rupture of the can body 11 at the starting end of the tear strip 19 and which may be utilized in the tearing of the tear strip 19 out of the can body 11 and the further tearing of the can body along the peripheral weakening line 15. Accordingly, no further description of the specific pull tab 20 will be set forth here.

It will be readily apparent from the drawings, particularly FIGURES 1 and 4, that the double seam 14 serves to provide the can body 11 against the accidental rupture thereof along the weakening line 15. The double seam 14 reinforces the can body 11 against flexure and because of the closeness of the weakening line 15 to the double seam 14, direct impact against the can body 11 at the weakening line 15 is generally prevented.

I It is also proposed, in accordance with this invention,

to provide the can body 11 with a pair of protective beads" 21 immediately adjacent the straight line portion of the score line 15. These protective beads 21 are disposed on opposite sides of the U-shaped intermediate portion 16 of the weakening line 15 and terminate immediately adjacent the side seam 17.

The beads 21, in addition to their protective feature, serve to assure the confinement of the tearing of the can body 11 to the space between the beads 21 and the double seam 14. Thus, should there be any tendency for the can body 11 to tear along a line other than the weakening line 15, opening of the can will still occur.

Referring now to FIGURE 5, it will be seen that there is illustrated a blank B from which the can body 11 is formed. In the forming of the can body blank B, initially the rivet 18 is formed, after which the weakening line 15 is formed by scoring. The protective beads 21 may be formed at the same time as the scoring is performed. Thereafter, the pull tab is applied to the rivet '18 and the rivet 18 is then upset to retain the pull tab 20 secured to the tear strip H.

It is to be noted that the blank B has an end edge portion 22 which is free of obstructions. Thus, after the blank B has been formed into the can body 11, the end closure 12 may be readily secured to the can body by conventional closing methods, including double seaming. Inasmuch as the closure 12 is a conventional end, it will be apparent that there will be no problem in performing the necessary double seaming operation.

When it is desired to open the can 10, it is merely necessary to lift up on the pull tab 20, at which time rupture of the can body 11 at the starting end of the tear strip 19 will occur. When the pull tab 20 is pulled upwardly, the tear strip 19 will tear from the can body and continued lifting will result in the tearing of the can body along the weakening line 15 with the entire upper portion of the can body and the end closure 12, including the double seam 14, being separated from the can body in the manner shown in FIGURE 2. If desired, the released upper portion of the can may be merely folded along the weakening line 15 across the body seam 17 and the product dispensed from the can in this manner, or it may be torn entirely off of the body along the weakening line 15. In any event, it will be apparent that the can will be fully opened in accordance with this invention and any product disposed therein may be readily dispensed from the can.

Although only a preferred embodiment of the invention has been specifically illustrated and described herein, it is to be understood that minor changes and improvements may be made in the disclosed can construction, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An easy-opening container body having an end portion for forming a connection with a closure member, a

peripheral weakening line in said container body having a major portion thereof disposed immediately adjacent said end portion for facilitating the removal of said end portion, said weakening line having an intermediate por tion extending away from said body end portion and ter- 4 4 I minating in a starting end portion, and a separately formed pull tab secured to said starting end portion.

2. The container body of claim 1 wherein said weakening line is a single line.

3. The container body of claim 1 wherein said intermediate portion and said'starting end portion combined are of a generallyU-shaped configuration and define a tear strip... I v

4. Thecontainer body of claim 3 wherein said tear strip extends axially of said container body.

5. The container body of claim 1 wherein said container body is reinforced on opposite sides of said weakening line intermediate portion by beads extending alongside said weakening line remote from said body end portion.

6. The .con tainer. body of claim 1 wherein said body has a side seam and said weakening line starting portion is disposed remote from said side seam and generally opposite thereto. I i

7. An easy-opening can comprising a body having an end secured thereto by a seam, a peripheral weakening line in said body having a major portion thereof disposed immediately adjacent said seam for facilitating the opening of the can by the removal of said end and said seam with said seam initially protecting said weakening line, said weakening line having an intermediate portion extending away from said seam in the form of a tear strip terminating in a starting end, and a separately formed pull tab secured to said tear strip adjacent said starting end.

8. The can of claim 7 wherein said body is further reinforced against accidental rupture along said weakening line and intended rupture is confined to said weakening line by beads disposed on opposite sides of said weakening line intermediate portion and extending alongside said weakening line remote from said seam.

9. A can body blank comprising a generally rectangular sheet of a length and width to form a tubular can body, said sheet having end and side edges, an edge portion of said sheet adjacent one of said end edges being adapted for forminga seam with an end closure, and a weakening line in said can body extending substantially between said side edges and having a major portion thereof disposed in a straight line immediately adjacent said one end edge portion, said weakening line also including a generally U- shaped intermediate portion defining a tear strip having a starting end, and a pull tab rigidly secured to said tear strip adjacent said starting end.

10. The can body blank of claim 9 wherein there is a protective bead on each side of said tear strip adjacent said weakening line major portion and remote from said one end edge portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1921 Farley et a1 220-54 8/ 1934 Hermani 220-54 

